Destroying angel (Bible)

The "destroying angel" is a term used in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) to refer to an angelic figure responsible for carrying out divine punishment or judgment, often resulting in death. The specific role and nature of this angel vary depending on the biblical passage.

The destroying angel is most prominently featured in the Book of Exodus during the tenth plague visited upon Egypt (Exodus 12). As a final effort to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery, God sent the destroying angel to strike down the firstborn son in every Egyptian household and livestock. The Israelites were instructed to mark their doorposts with the blood of a sacrificial lamb so that the destroying angel would "pass over" their homes, sparing their firstborn. This event is commemorated by the Jewish festival of Passover.

The destroying angel also appears in other Old Testament accounts. In 2 Samuel 24 (and its parallel account in 1 Chronicles 21), God sent a plague upon Israel as punishment for King David's census. A destroying angel is depicted as stretching out his hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, but God relents at the sight of the angel.

In some interpretations and traditions, the destroying angel is associated with specific angelic figures such as Azrael (the angel of death in some Islamic traditions, which often draws connections to figures in Jewish and Christian texts) or Samael. However, the biblical text itself does not explicitly name or identify the destroying angel in most instances, generally referring to it as an agent of divine will.

The concept of a destroying angel raises theological questions about the nature of God's justice and the role of intermediaries in carrying out divine actions. Different theological perspectives offer varying interpretations of these passages.